Catalyst for Payment Reform provides purchasers with maternity care payment resources

Labor and delivery account for nearly a quarter of all hospitalizations for many employers, and costs associated with pregnancy and its complications are a driving factor in the rising costs of health care. Cesarean deliveries, elective labor inductions and scheduled deliveries before 39 weeks are also the rise. The growing use of medically unnecessary interventions is increasing costs and the incidence of complications among mothers and babies, with no evidence of improved outcomes.

There are a variety of payment alternatives that can align incentives for providers and hospitals to adhere to evidence-based practices that improve outcomes for both infants and mothers and decrease the growth in health care spending for maternity care services. CPR has put together an Action Brief for health care purchasers that provides both an overview of the payment reform opportunity and steps purchasers can take to begin implementation.


In addition, CPR has crafted health plan request for information (RFI) questions on the topic that purchasers can use as part of their health plan sourcing process, allowing employers and other health care purchasers to query health plans about their current provider payment practices and plans for future reforms. Specifically, the RFI will help health plan clients monitor the amount of total physician and hospital compensation that is tied to performance through various value-based purchasing programs. The RFI embodies a strategic menu of reform areas that gives health care purchasers and plans the capacity to plan, implement and evaluate payment policies that promote high-quality and cost-effective care.

Working with the National Business Coalition on Health, CPR will continue to evolve the RFI and integrate it into eValue8, NBCH’s health plan RFI, used by many regional employer coalitions across the country. CPR invites all health care purchasers and plans to use its RFI and welcomes suggestions for improvement.